Telephone switch operator



Oct. -27, 1942.

J. G. GoLsETH TELEPHONE SWITCH OPERATOR -Fileduarch 1s, 1941 3 Shets-Sheet l Oct- 27, 1942- J. G. GOLSETH 2,300,114

TELEPHONE SWITCH OPERATOR Filed March 19, 1941 SSheats-Sheet 2 Y I faz/@afar 14 45 @.Golse/L Ot. 27, 1942. J. G. GoLsETl-l TELEPHONE SWITCH OPERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 19, 1941 v74 Il' /zvenfor v cfa/nes G. Go Zsez 14 ST5-(65 By Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE SWITCH OPERATOR James G. Golseth, Chicago, Ill. Application March 19, 1941, Serial No. 384,060

19 Claims.

The invention relates to telephones and more particularly to manually operated devices for controlling the switch which opens and closes the talking circuit.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a novel telephone switch operator which may be permanently mounted on a conventional telephone for operation either in the usual manner by a handset 0r, alternatively, by simple touch manipulations by a user independently of the handset.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved device of this nature in which a conventional handset of the type embodying a transmitter and a receiver may either be supported permanently in a convenientposition for speaking and hearing, in which case the talking circuit switch may be manually opened, automatically latched in its open circuit" position, and closed by a simple touch manipulation by the user for talking or, alternatively, the handset may be utilized in the customary manner for controlling the talking circuit, in which event the mechanism is rendered inoperative automatically to obviate interference with conventional use of the telephone.

More specifically stated, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel switch actuator of the above mentioned general type normally urged to a raised position for closing the talking circuit and manipulable to a depressed position for opening the circuit and embodying manually releasable means for latching the actuator in its depressed position only when manually operated, the latch means being rendered inoperative automatically when the actuator is operated in the usual manner by a handset.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of device embodyingv the features of the invention mounted on a conventional telephone of the cradle type.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the telephone base and switch device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary vertical sectional VieWs taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and showing, respectively, the manually effected open circuit position of the mechanism, its released or closed circuit position, and its open circuit position as effected by the handset in the conventional manner.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the form illustrated in Fig. 7 showing the mechanism in open circuit position, as effected by the handset, in full outlines and in closed circuit position in dotted outlines.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the alternative form shown in Fig. 7.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are fragmentary vertical sectional views similar to Fig. 4, but showing a further modification of the invention, respectively, in manually effected open circuit position, in released or closed circuit position, and in handset operated open circuit position.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the form shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the form shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line I5-I5 of Fig. 14.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I

' Ahave shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail, the preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specificforms disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein I have illustrated the invention in connection with a conventional form of cradle-type telephone merely for purposes of disclosure, Figs. 1 and 6, inclusive, show one form of switch actuator suitable for the purposes of the present invention. The form illustrated is particularly, but by no means exclusively, suited for the control of a cradle-type telephone but it is to be understood that the features of the invention on the whole are well adapted for use in connection with other types of telephone.

The telephone illustrated comprises a generally rectangular base structure I0 having a hollow upper portion I I which houses a conventional hook switch (not shown) and supports a dialing mechanism I2 on its inclined front face. The housing is formed with a hand hole I3 opening to its rear face and has two pair of spaced projections I4 on its upper face which formthe usual cradle structure for the reception of a handset. A pair of buttons I8 project from the housing and upwardly between'the projections and serve to control the hook switch within the housing for opening and closing the talking circuit. The buttons are spring-pressed upwardly to their closed circuit position and are adapted to be depressed to open circuit position by the weight of the handset placed in the cradle. The handset comprises the usual transmitter i5 and receiver IB mounted as a unitary structure on an elongated intermediate hand grip portion ll extending between them.

The switch actuator device illustrated is adapted for installation on a conventonal telephone of this type without modification of the telephone structure. Generally, the device comprises two parts: a holder for the handset adapted to support the transmitter and receiver in co-nvenient positions for speaking and hearing, respectively, and a switch actuator for operating the hook switch buttons I8 independently of the handset. The switch actuator is mounted in the position normally occupied by the handset and is so formed that the hook switch buttons i8 may be operated in the conventional manner by the handset superimposed on the actuator. Alternatively,.when the handset is supported on the holder, means operable by a simple touch manipulation by the user are provided in the actuator for latching the buttons I8 in depressed or open circuit position. The latch is easily released to close the talking circuit by a 'similar touch manipulation and is rendered entirely inoperative for latching purposes when the actuator is opere ated by the handset.

The holder for the handset includes, in the embodiment illustrated, a base member I9 preferably of generally channel shape form, in which the telephone base structure lll is adapted to be secured, as by lock screws 20. A bracket 2l extends irom the base member I9, which it is adjustably secured as by a thumb screw 22, for supporting a clamping member 23 adapted to hold the intermediate portion il of the handset. The clamping member 23 when properly adjusted disposes the transmitter and receiver in positions convenient for the user and, to this end, an adjustable connection 24 may be provided between the clamping member and the bracket to position the handset at the proper height and inclination.

With the handset adjustably secured in this position a person may speak and hear over the telephone without using his hands for manipulating the handset, thus leaving them free for other purposes. The switch actuator is conveniently manipulable by a touch to open the talking circuit, in which position it is automatically latched and from which it may be easily released by a touch to permit the circuit to close. In the present instance, I have provided a generally U-shaped base member 25 which over-lies the upper face of the housing Il between the cradle projections I4 and the hook switch 1outtons IB and projects into the hand hole I3. It may be suitably clamped in this position, as by a bolt 2G which extends through the two legs of the base. An actuator member 2l is pivotally mounted, as at 23, on an upstanding bracket 2d rigid on the rear of the base member 25. The actuator member 21 is in the form of a plate which extends forwardly over the portion of the telephonev cradle normally occupied by the handset and is provided with wings 3l] which project between the cradle projections lll and carry spacers 3l adap-ted for registered abutment with the switch buttons I3. Upon depression of the actuator from its raised position (Fig. 5), the

switch buttons i8 are depressed by the spacers 3| (Fig. 4) against the spring means (not shown) in the telephone base co-nventionally provided to urge the buttons to their up, or closed circuit position.

rhe actuator member 21 may be depressed to open the telephone circuit either manually, as seen in Fig. l or by the weight of the handset Il in the conventional manner, as seen in Fig. 6. In the latter event, the weight of the handset holds the actuator depressed against the switch butto-n spring means, but when the handset is mounted on the bracket 2l and the device is manually operated, a latch is automatically engaged to hold the actuator in its down or open circuit position. The latch is releasable simply by a touch to permit the switch buttons IB to rise to their closed circuit position, as seen in Fig. 5, under the influence of the button spring means. The latch is so arranged that it becomes inoperative for holding the actuator 2T depressed when the telephone circuit is operated in conventional manner by the weight of the handset.

Thus, in the present instance, a latching member having a downwardly extending leg 32 is hingedly mounted, as at 33, on the front edge of the actuator member 2l and has a hooked end portion 3Q adapted for latching engagement with a raised, outwardly projecting lip 35 on the front edge of the base Amember 25 after the actuator has reached its depressed position, as seen in Fig. 4. The latch is provided with a releasing lever 35 which projects rearwardly and upwardly over a part of the actuator plate 2l upon which the handset is adapted to rest. A spring 37, having one end rigid on the under side of the actuator, projects through an aperture 38 in the actuator for cooperation at its other end with the latch to yieldably urge th-e hook 34 into holding engagement with the lip 35. In order to open the circuit, the user simply depresses the actuator plate 2l until the hook 3d snaps into engagement with the lip 35. The releasing lever is adapted to be depressed to disengage the latch, as seen in dotted outlines in Fig. 4, to permit the switch buttons IB to rise and close the circuit, as seen in Fig. 5.

When the telephone is operated in the conventional manner (Fig. 6), the hands-et is placed in the cradle. The actuator is thus depressed to open the circuit and the releasing lever for the latch is similarly depressed so that it assumes a released position inoperative for holding the actuator member 27 in its depressed position when th-e handset is again removed to close the circuit. The spring means 3l for the latch has less force than the spring means for the switch buttons i8 located in the telephone base, so that in removing the handset the actuator plate will first rise under the influence of the switch button spring means lbefore the releasing lever can rise to permit engagement of the latch. In this manner convenient manipulable means are provided for opening and closing the talking circuit which does not interfere with the operation of the telephone when it is used in the conventional manner, nor reduire readjustment or alteration for such use.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9. I have illustrated therein an alternative embodiment of the invention which is also adapted for association with a cradle-type telephone. This embodiment similarly includes a generally U-shaped base member 4l) clamped, as by bolts di, on the housing l l to overlie the intermediate portion of the cradle between the hook s-Witch buttons I8. An actuator plate 42 is provided having wings 43 formed thereon to overlie the buttons and carry spacer pads 44 for abutment with the buttons I 8. The lactuator 42 is adapted for pivotal swinging movement on a hinge 45 so that it may be depressed, as seen in Fig. 7, against the force of the switch button spring means. In the instant embodiment, the actuator plate is also adapted for slight bodily shifting movement in a forward direction to permit latching of the plate in depressed closed circuit position, as hereinafter described. To this end, the hinge 45 is mounted `for angular rocking movement about a pivot 46. Formed rigidly on the front edge of the actuator plate 42 is a depending hook member 41 adapted for latching engagement under the front edge 48 of the base member 40. The front edge of the base member is formed with a pair of upwardly yand inwardly extending projections 49 which engage the hook 41 as the actuator plate is depressed to cam the plate bodily forwardly to permit the hook to engage the underside 48 of the base member.

To maintain the latched engagement of the hook, means are provided for yield-ably urging the actuator plate rearwardly. Thus a spring 50 rigid on the underside of the actuator plate, projects therefrom for cooperation with an arm I of the double hinge connection 45, 46. The

spring urges the arm upwardly thereby tending to move the actuator plate rearwardly.

To release the actuator from its depressed, latched position a releasing element 52 is mounted for vertical sliding movement in an aperture 53 in the actuator plate and is provided with a tapered end 54 which cooperates with an upwardly and inwardly inclined projection 55 on the front edge of the base member 4D between and behind the projections 49. ment is maintained within the limits of its vertical sliding movement by a head portion 55 formed thereon above the actuator plate and a pin 51 extending through the element below the plate. Upon depression of the releasing means 52 the actuator plate is oammed forwardly by wedge action between the cooperating inclined faces 54 and 55 to free the hook 41 from the base and permit the actuator to rise under the influence of the switch button spring means.

In operation when the handset is mounted on the bracket, the telephone circuit is opened by manually depressing the actuator 42 into its latched position. When the actuator is thus depressed manually the latch member 41 rides over the inclined front faces of the projections 49 the double hinge connection 45, 46 permitting bodily forward shifting movement of the actuator against the force of the spring 5l] until the hook snaps into engagement. In order to release the actuator from its depressed latched position the releasing element 52 is depressed causing actuator member 42 to be carnrned forwardly by wedge action to free the latch 41 from the base. This permits the actuator to rise under the inluence of the switch button spring means to close the talking circuit.

When the telephone switch is operated by the handset in conventional manner, latching is prohibited upon depression of the actuator plate. 'I'.he releasing element 52 is positioned within the area of the actuator plate 42 covered by the handset so as to be depressed by the Weight of the handset when it is placed on the actuator plate. With the releasing element thus de- The releasing elepressed, the cooperating inclined faces 54 and on the element and base, respectively, hold the actuator in its forward position when depressed and latching is prohibited. The spring 5i) has less force than the switch button spring means so that upon lifting ofthe handset the actuator 42 will be raised past its latching position prior to a release of the latching means.

Another modied construction illustrated in Figs. 10 to 15, inclusive, utilizes a releasable latch which is automatically engageable when the actuator is manually depressed to open the talking circuit and also utilizes means for preventing the depression of the actuator sullciently far to permit engagement of the latch but far enough to open the circuit when the telephone switch is controlled in the conventional manner by the handset. Thus, in this embodiment, a base member is secured, as by a bolt 6I, to the cradle structure l I and has an actuator plate 52 hingedly mounted, as at 63, on an upstanding bracket 64 on the rear of the base member. The actuator plate is adapted to overlie the cradle in the position normally occupied by the handset. It is provided with wings 65 which carry spacers 66 adapted for abutment with and depression of the telephone circuit switch buttons I8 upon downward swinging movement of the actuator from its raised position, as seen in Fig. 11, to its depressed position, as seen in Fig. 10. A latch in the present embodiment, com` prises a swinging member 61 hingedly mounted, as at 68, on the front edge of the base 60 and provided with a shoulder G9 adapted for enf gagement with the front edge 10 of the actuator member to hold it in its depressed position, as seen in Fig, 10. A spring 1I mounted on the base 50 projects therefrom for cooperation with an extension 12 on the latch 61 and tends to urge the latch toward its engaged position with the actuator member.

For manual operation of the circuit switch the actuator member 62 is depressed from its raised position (Fig. 11) against the force of the switch button spring means (not shown) to its open circuit position (Fig. 10). During such movement the actuator rides over the surface of the latch member and finally snaps into latched position under the shoulder 69. The latch member is provided with a finger-actuated projection 'I3 thereon for releasing movement of the latch against the :force of the spring 1I. This permits the actuator to rise under the force of the switch button spring to its raised closed circuit position (Fig. 11) limited by a stop 14 formed on the latch member.y

When the switch actuator is operated by the handset I6 in the conventional manner, the actuator is depressed to open circuit position by the weight of the handset (Fig. 12). Depression, however, is limited to an amount suicient to cause opening of the circuit but insufficient to allow the latch means to engage the actuator. Thus, as seen in Figs. 12, 13 and 15, a pair of supporting members 15 are rigidly mounted on the base 5D and project upwardly therefrom through a pair of holes 16 formed in the actuator for carrying the weight of the handset I6 after it has depressed the actuator to open circuit position, but short of its latched position. Accordingly, when the handset is raised to close the talking circuit, the hook-switch buttons I8 will be permitted to rise in the conventional manner without manual release of the latching member 61. i

It will be apparent from a consideration of the foregoing that I have provided a new and improved device enabling the handset of a conventional telephone to be supported, independently of any manipulation by the user, in a suitable position for speaking and hearing while permitting the user to open or close the talking circuit by simple touch manipulations. At the same time the device enables the telephone to be used in the conventional manner without any readjustments or rearrangement of the mechanism. Thus, when a person wishes to have his hands free for other purposes, the handset is mounted on the bracket 2| and the user merely touches a release (Sii, 5b or i3) which automatically moves the telephone switch into operative or talking position. Upon completion of a conversation the user merely touches an actuator (21, 42 or 62) which opens and automatically holds the circuit in open position. During normal use of the telephone the intermediate portion of the handset l'! rests as usual on the telephone cradle and the device is so constructed that the mechanism utilized for manual control of the circuit in no way interferes with conventional use of the telephone.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination with a conventional telephone of the cradle type including a hook switch control means spring-pressed to a raised position for closing the telephone circuit and adapted to be depressed to open said circuit when a conventional transmitter and receiver carrying handset is replaced on the cradle by the user, means adapted to support the handset to dispose the transmitter and receiver in speaking and hearing positions respectively independently of any support by the user, and a device for manually operating the hook switch control means including a latch automatically engageable when said control means has been depressed against the force of the spring means to hold the circuit open, said latch means being releasable to the force of the spring means by a simple manipulation of the user to close said circuit, said latch means being rendered inoperative automatically when said control means is operated by the handset.

2. In combination with a conventional telephone of the cradle type including a hand hole opening to its rear face and spaced hook switch buttons spring-pressed to a raised position within the cradle for closing the telephone circuit and adapted to be depressed to open said circuit by the weight of a conventional handset, a U-shaped base member having one leg adapted to extend into said hand hole and another leg adapted to overlie the base of the cradle structure between said buttons, an actuator plate pivotally supported on the rear of said base member in spaced relation thereto, said plate having wings adapted to overlie said buttons and being adapted for swinging movement from a raised A position to a depressed position to depress said buttons to open said cir-cuit, a latch automatically engageable upon manual depression of said plate to hold said plate depressed, manipulable means for releasing said latch to permit said plate to rise under the spring force of the switch buttons, and means for preventing engagement of said latch when said actuator plate is depressed by the handset placed thereon.

3. In combination with a telephone base having a cradle adapted to receive a handset therein and spaced hook switch buttons springpressed to a raised position within the cradle for closing the telephone circuit and adapted to be depressed to open said circuit by the weight of the handset, a member secured to said base and having a portion adapted to overlie the cradle structure between said buttons, an actuator plate pivotally supported on the rear of said portion in spaced relation thereto, said plate being dimensioned to receive said handset and to overlie said buttons and being adapted for swinging movement from a raised position to a depressed position to depress said buttons to open said circuit, and a releasable latch automatically engageable only upon manual depression of said plate to hold said plate depressed, said lat-ch being inoperative to hold said plate depressed when the weight of the handset is employed for opening said circuit.

4. In combination with a telephone including a cradle adapted to receive a conventional handset and spaced hook switch buttons normally urged to a raised position project upwardly into said cradle, an actuator plate adapted to overlie said cradle in the position normally occupied by the handset, means pivotally supporting said plate at its rear edge for swinging movement from a raised position yieldably supported by said buttons to a depressed position against said buttons to hold them in their depressed open circuit position, said actuator plate being formed to receive said handset, a releasable latch automatically engageable when said actuator plate is manually depressed, and means for rendering said latch inoperative when said plate is depressed by the weight of the said handset placed thereon.

5. In combination with a conventional telephone including a handset, switch means and spring means for yieldably urging said switch means to a raised position in which the telephone circuit is closed, an actuator operable either manually or by the weight of the handset placed thereon for depressing said switch means to open said circuit, a latch having a released position and an engaged position for holding said actuator depressed, and spring means yieldably urging said latch toward its engaged position, said handset being operative when placed on said actuator tol hold said latch in its released position against the force of the latch spring means, the force of the switch spring means being greater than the force oi the latch spring means, whereby upon lifting of said handset from said actuator said latch will be held in its released position until said actuator is raised from its depressed position under the force of said switch spring means.

6. In combination with a conventional telephone of the cradle type including a handset, a switch actuator and spring means for yieldably urging said actuator to a raised position in which the telephone circuit is closed, means operable either manually or by the weight of the handset placed in the cradle for depressing said actuator to open said circuit, and a releasable latch automatically engageable to hold said actuator depressed when manually operated, said latch being inoperative to hold said actuator depressed when operated by the handset.

'7. In combination with a conventional telephone including a handset and a hook switch control for the talking circuit biased to a raised position for closing said circuit and adapted to be depressed to open said circuit, means manipulable either manually or by the weight of the handset for controlling movements of said switch control, a latch automatically engageable as said means is manipulated to open said circuit, and a release for said latch manipulable to permit said circuit to close, said release being disposed for actuation by said handset to render said latch inoperative when said switch control is operated by saidhandset.

8. In combination with a conventional telephone including a handset, a switch actuator 1 spring-urged to a raised position for closing the talking circuit and adapted to be depressed to open the circuit by the weight of the handset placed thereon, said actuator being depressible manually againstthe force of the spring means independently of thehandset, a latch automatically engageable asV said actuator vis manually depressed to hold said actuator in its depressed position and releasable by a simple touch manipulation by the user to close the circuit, and means for preventing the engagement of said latch when said actuator is operated by said handset.

9. In combination with a telephone of the cradle type including a telephone base having a hand hole formed in the rear face thereof, a cradle structure adapted to receive a handset and spaced hook switch buttons spring-pressed to a raised position projecting upwardly into said cradle, a generally U-shapedv base member having one leg projected into said hand hole and the other overlying said cradle between said buttons, a securing member extending between said legs for clamping said base member in position, an actuator plate pivotally supported on the rear of said base to overlie said cradle in the position normally occupied by the handset, said plate being adapted for swinging movement from a raised position yieldably supported by said buttons in their closed circuit position to a depressed open circuit position against the spring force of said buttons, a hook shaped latch carried on the front edge of said plate and adapted for engagement with said base member upon depression of said plate to fopen circuit position, and means manually actuatable to release said latch, said means being positioned on said plate for releasing actuation by said handset. v

l0. In combination with a telephone including a handset, a cradle adapted to receive said handset and hook switch buttons normally springpressed to a raised position projecting upwardly into said cradle, a base member secured in said cradle, an actuator plate adapted to overlie said cradle in the position normally occupied by said handset, means pivotally supporting said actuator plate on the rear of said base member for swinging movement from a raised position to depress said buttons against the spring force, a latch member pivotally supported on the iront edge of said plate and being adapted upon depression of said plate to engage said base member to hold said buttons depressed, and a releasing lever on said latch adapted to be depressed to disengage said latch, said lever being positioned to project over said plate to be depressed by said handset.

11. In combination with a telephone including a handset, a cradle adapted to receive said handset, hook switch buttons and spring means urging said buttons to a raised position in said cradle, a base member secured in said cradle, an actuator plate adapted to overlie said cradle in the position normally occupied by said handset, means pivotally supporting said actuator plate on said base member for swinging movement from a raised position to depress said buttons against the force of said spring means, a latch member pivotally supported on said plate and being adapted upon depression of said plate to engage said base member `to hold said buttons depressed, spring means tending tourge said latch member to engaged position, and a releasing lever on said latch adapted to be depressed against the force of said last mentioned spring means to disengage said latch, said latch being positioned to project over said plate to be depressed by said handset, the relative effects of said spring means being such that depression of said lever requires less force than that for the depression of said plate.

l2. In combination with a telephone including a handset, a cradle adapted to receive said handset and vhook switch control means normally urged to a raised position in said cradle, an actuator adapted to overlie said cradle in the position normally occupied by said handset, means secured in said cradle for supporting said actuator for movement from a raised position to a depressed position in which said buttons are depressed to open the talking circuit, said actuator being adapted to receive the handset when it is placed in the cradle for depression of the actuator to open the circuit, a latch on said actuator adapted to engage the supporting means upon manual depression of said actuator, and a release for said latch operable either manually or by the handset when placed in the cradle.

13. In combination with a telephone of the cradle type including a handset, a cradle for said handset and a hook switch actuator normally spring-biased to a raised position within said cradle and adapted to be depressed by the weight of the handset placed thereon to close the telephone circuit, a base member rigidly securing in said cradle, a plate adapted to overlie said actuator in the position normally occupied by said handset, means supporting said plate for swinging movement to depress said actuator and for limited bodily shifting movement in a forward direction, a spring tending to urge said plate bodily rearwardly, a hook latch rigid on the front of said plate adapted upon depression of said plate for automattic latching engagement under the front edge of said base member when said plate is shifted bodily forwardly against the force of said spring, and means for shifting said plate bodily forwardly to release said latch, said last mentioned means being positioned for operation either manually or by the weight of the handset placed in the cradle.

14. In combination with a telephone of the cradle type including a handset,` a cradle for said handset, hook switch control means and a spring normally urging said means to a raised position within said cradle for closing the talkmg circuit, a base member rigidly securing in said cradle, an actuator plate adapted to overlie said hook switch control means in the position normally occupied by said handset, means supporting said plate on said base member for swinging movement to depress said switch control means to open said circuit and for limited horizontal bodily shifting movement, a hook latch on said plate adapted for latching engagement with said base member when said plate is depressed and shifted bodily, spring means tending to maintain the latching engagement, releasing means operable to shift said plate bodily against the force of said spring means to release said latch, said releasing means being positioned for operation either manually' or by the weight of the handset placed in the cradle, the spring for saidy control means having a relatively greater effect on said plate than said last mentioned spring means, whereby upon lifting of said handset from said plate said plate will rise before said releasing means permits engagement of said latch.

15. In combination with a telephone of the cradle type including a handset, a cradle for said handset and a hook switch actuator normally spring-pressed tov a raised closed circuit position within said cradle, a base member secured to and supported by said cradle, a plate adapted to overlie said actuator in the position normally occupied by said handset, means supporting said plate on said base member for swinging movement to depress said actuator to open circuit position and for limited horizontal bodily shifting movement and a hockvlatch on said plate adaptedv for latching engagement under said base member whenv said plate is depressed and shifted bodily.

16. In combination with a conventional telephone of the cradle type including a handset, a cradle for saidhandset and hook switch control means spring-pressed to a raised position within said cradle for closing the talking circuit, a base member rigidly secured in said cradle, an actuator plate pivotally mounted on the rear of said base member and adapted for downward swinging movement todepress said control means to open the talking circuit, a latch member pivotally supporting onv the front edge of said base member and adapting for movement to engage the front edge of said actuator plate upon manual depression thereof, spring means urging said latch member toward engaged position, manipulable means for releasing said latch member, and spacer means rigid on said base and projecting upwardly therefrom through said actuator plate for supporting the weight of said handset when placed in said cradle to open said circuit, said spacer means being dimensioned to permit sufficient depression of said plate by the handset to open said circuit but insufficient to permit engagement of said latch member, whereby upon lifting of said handset to close said circuit said actuator plate will rise without release of said latch member.

17. In combination with a conventional telephone including a handset and a switch for controlling the* talking circuit, a manipulable switch actuator normally urged to -a raised position for closing the circuit and adapted to be depressed either manually or by the weight of the handset placed thereon to open the circuit, a latch automatically engageable when said actuator is manually depressed and releasable by a simple manipulation by the user to permit said actuator to rise, and means for preventing the depression of said actuator sufficiently far to permit engagement of said latch when said handset is placed thereon to open said circuit.

18. In -combination with a conventional telephone including a handset and a switch for controlling the talking circuit, a manipulable switch actuator normally urged to a raised position for closing the circuit and adapted to be depressed either manually or by the weight ofthe handset placed thereon to open the circuit, a latch automatically engageable when said actuator is manually depressed and releasable by a simple manipulation by the user to permit said actuator to rise, and. means for supporting the weight of said handset after it has depressed said actuator to open said circuit and prior to depression of said actuator sufficiently far to cause said latch to engage.

19. InV combination with a conventional telephone of the cradle type including a handset, a cradle for said handset and hook switch control means spring-pressed to a raised position within said cradle for closing the talking circuit, a base member rigidly secured in said cradle, an actuator plate mounted on said base member for swinging movement to depress said control means to open the talking circuit, a latch member movably mounted on said base member for latching engagement with said actuator plate upon depression thereof, manipulable means for releasing said latch, and means on said base for supporting the weight of said handset when placed in said cradle to open said circuit, said last named means permitting sufficient depression of 

